Betrayal and Protection
by Jenn11
Summary: Mike sees something and thinks Harvey has betrayed him. But it's not what it looks like. Harvey and Mike friendship and bonding. A bit of Mike and Rachel agnst.


A/N: In one of the previews it looks like Harvey is kissing a woman with long, dark hair – like Rachel's. I'm sure that isn't what it really is, but it got me thinking how a scene of Rachel and Harvey in a kiss might happen and why. And, of course, how it could lead to some Harvey and Mike bonding. Friendship only for our boys. Hope you like.

Harvey and Mike were working late, and Harvey didn't think anyone else was there. Then he saw Rachel as he was going back to his office after dropping some files off for Jessica to read in the morning.

"Didn't realize you were working so late," he commented.

"Lewis asked me to get something finished," she replied.

She noted Mike approaching, with some files, but he was coming up the hall behind Harvey, so Harvey didn't see him and Mike was looking at the files. She suddenly remembered how much it had hurt when he'd rejected her for Jenny, then finding him with Tessa. An overwhelming urge to hurt him like he'd hurt her swept through her.

"Rachel?" Harvey asked, noticing her distraction.

Just as she saw Mike starting to look up she moved in against Harvey and kissed him, knowing Mike would see it. After a couple seconds of frozen shock, Harvey set her away from him. She glanced passed him to see Mike was turning back the other way.

"What the hell?" Harvey asked, shocked by her forward actions.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I don't know what I was… I'm sorry," she told Harvey, then rushed away to her office.

Half an hour later, when Harvey was about to call and check on Mike, Mike came into his office with the files. Harvey noted how drained Mike looked and how hollow his eyes were. Mike had said he'd wanted to get back to work, not sit home moping over his Gammy's death, and Harvey had agreed. Maybe Mike was pushing too hard though…

"Go home and get some sleep, kid," he said, his tone a bit softer than usual.

Mike nodded and left, imagining Harvey wanted him gone so he and Rachel could be alone and… He quickly cut the thought off.

A week went by with Mike only speaking to Harvey when required to for work, and avoiding Rachel completely.

After a week, Harvey had had enough. He actually missed the movie quotes and other casual interaction with Mike. As Mike dropped some files off and was about to leave Harvey said, "Shut the door and sit down."

Mike inwardly cringed, but did as told.

"What's going on with you? If you need some time away to grieve…"

The betrayal and pain Mike had been feeling began to show. "Grieve?! You think this is about Grammy! I just wish I had her to talk to about…" Mike cut himself off.

"About what, Mike?" Harvey asked, genuinely confused.

"You! You and Rachel! You've made it very clear you don't care about me, but to be with Rachel… You know how I felt about her and you…"

The scene from a week ago clicked into place in Harvey's mind. Disgust warred with anger. "You saw. When Rachel kissed me, you saw…"

Neither heard Donna's soft gasp through the intercom as Mike said, "Yeah, I did."

"Come with me," Harvey said, standing up and walking to the door.

Mike didn't need to be told to shut the door as they walked into Rachel's office.

"Last week, you knew Mike was watching when you kissed me. That's the entire reason you did it." The disgust was obvious in his tone.

"Yes," she admitted, looking down. No way she was going to try lying to Harvey when he had _That_ look in his eyes.

"Let me guess, he did something to hurt you, and you wanted to hurt him back."

"Yes," she said again.

When Harvey spoke this time the disgust had vanished into anger. "So, you risk a Senior Partner's relationship with his Associate because you got your feelings hurt? This is why relationships between co-workers are not allowed here. Use me to hurt Mike again and I will not only fire you, I will make sure you never work at another law firm in New York. You apologized to me that night. I now owe Mike an apology, and you owe him a hell of lot more than that." Harvey turned to Mike, his face and tone softening – all anger gone. "I'm sorry, Mike. We'll talk later." With that, he left the two alone.

Almost 15 minutes later Mike sat back down in Harvey's office. "Why didn't you tell me what you saw?" Harvey began the conversation once Mike had sunk into the couch.

"Talk to you about… that… No way," Mike said.

"Look, we both know I can be a bastard when I want to, but I'd never do that to you."

"Careful, someone might think you care."

"Mike, I care about us being able to work together. I push you because I see your potential. I make you learn the hard lessons, because you need to learn them. If I don't teach them to you, someone else will, and I won't be there to protect you."

"Protect me?"

"The big dog protects the puppy," Harvey replied. "Part of the job. And as your mentor it is my job to teach you, even the lessons you don't want to learn. But I would never betray you by sleeping with a woman I know you have feelings for – no matter how foolish I think those feelings might be when you work together."

Mike nodded, feeling better than he had in a week. "Thanks, Harvey. And I still say this proves you care…" With a small smirk, Mike stood up and headed back to his cubicle. But not before he heard Harvey's quiet, "impudent puppy."

Mike spent the next hour staring at the papers in front of him, but not reading them. He thought about some of the things Harvey had done. He'd bribed an ADA – but done it to make sure no one would look into Mike's past, and to make sure Mike didn't get in trouble for violating Privilege. So many other times when Harvey had make the hard choice. It had angered Mike at the time, but now he realized that Harvey had done it, at least partly, so that Mike wouldn't have to be the one to make those choices. He could learn from seeing Harvey doing it, without having to do it himself. Harvey, in his own way, had been protecting Mike.


End file.
